[Dixielandjazz] Story of demise of a smooth jazz station-- \Catt Sirten-- Mike Vax

[Norman Vickers]

To:  DJML and Musicians and JazzFans list

From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

 

Trumpeter, jazz educator and leader of the Stan Kenton Alumni Band, Mike Vax responds.

 

Thanks, Mike.  See Norman’ comments and query below.

From: Mike Vax [mailto:vaxtrpts at aol.com] 
Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 8:49 PM
To: nvickers1 at cox.net
Subject: Re: Story of demise of a smooth jazz station-- Columbus, OH--Catt Sirten

 

Catt is right on!  In the old days and still on some stations, jazz music was/is presented by a DJ who not only had/has passion for the music, but a wonderful knowledge of the music and of the musicians performing it.  Also in the "old days," many of the DJ's knew the musicians personally and hung out with them AND went to hear them live.
For me the biggest problem with these "smooth jazz" radio stations is the fact that they use the word "jazz" at all.  Much of the music has no improvisation and many of the cuts are done with a drum machine looped over and over.  It's sure too bad it didn't get labeled something like "smooth pop" years ago!!!!
Mike Vax

 

Norman responds with a comment and query—

 

Re “smooth jazz”  I read this comment recently in one of the music mags—maybe Downbeat or Jazz Times.  Can’t remember the musician who said ( someone can help me on this, maybe) 

“smooth jazz is jazz with the teeth removed!”

 

Query:  what effect has MP3s and iPod, and equivalents, had on listening patterns?  When LPs and CDs were the standard mode of listening, at least purchasers were able to hear an entire album and make opinion from the entirety of the album.  Also, what is the effect of You Tube video clips, Pandora radio via your computer and Sirius and X-M Radio.  For various reasons, I am not a subscriber to satellite radio, rarely listen to Pandora and rarely listen to “Music Choice” which comes with cable TV subscription. Making an analogy, when there were only three national TV channels, all of America was likely tuned into one. Seems like most of America tuned in to Archie Bunker on those nights and discussions raged around the water cooler.

 ( I’m so old, I can remember what it was like with radio and similar—it was a big deal to know who made the “Hit Parade” each week, Red Skelton and Bob Hope.)

 

Thanks friends for your comments.  I look forward to getting  considerable erudition from your discussion.

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-----Original Message-----
From: Norman Vickers <nvickers1 at cox.net>
To: Norman Vickers <nvickers1 at cox.net>
Sent: Fri, Aug 13, 2010 5:34 pm
Subject: Story of demise of a smooth jazz station-- Columbus, OH--Catt Sirten

To:  Musicians and Jazzfans list

>From Norman Vickers

 

Welcome to the list, Catt Sirten.  Catt is a broadcaster in the Mobile-Pensacola area.  His format is jazz-smooth jazz.  His broadcasts have been featured on various commercial stations and for a couple of years ( Catt will correct me if my figures are off) on WHIL-FM, a PBS affiliate in Mobile.  He home/studio is on Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay.  When he was broadcasting evenings for WHIL, they’d switch to his studio.  We’d facetiously say that Catt could broadcast from home in his pajamas.  As I understand it, he also cultivated his own advertisers.

 

Catt has been a friend to jazz in our area, and also personal friend, for many years.

 

For those interested, see his website  <http://www.radioavalon.com> www.radioavalon.com

 

At my request, he has sent some comments about the story of the demise of the smooth jazz format in Columbus, OH.

 

Thanks, Catt.  We hope you will contribute often.

 

Norman

 

From: Catt Sirten [ <mailto:catt at radioavalon.com?> mailto:catt at radioavalon.com] 

Thanks for the link in reference to the station flipping formats.  It's not a unique story.  I certainly have a perspective on the subject...Smooth Jazz is a modern day equivalent of the old "easy listening" format.  Or at least that's the way it's programmed by the corporate entities that now guide almost all commercial radio.  Low overhead, little promotion, no energy...no passion...just "music easy to listen to...".  For three-to-six rating periods and then they flip to the next "format du jour".

 

What the smooth jazz radio people have never "gotten" is that music lovers are passionate about "their music" regardless of how laid-back, "high brow", or eclectic the music comes across to the non-fan.  What they created is a passionless format for listeners that, of another generation, listened to Mantovani records...not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

But the result...in almost every market where "smooth jazz" exists, is a low maintenance station with a small and passive audience that has little loyalty to the overall product...because it doesn't give them anything to be loyal to...it's a jukebox...a very passive, low-key jukebox.

 

In my opinion for jazz, in any form, to be successful in mass media is for the station/website/blog/program/etc to mirror the soul of the music.  If it's heavy metal, they should have an aggressive attitude...if it's jazz, they should be passionate about the music...because their listeners are...or would be, if someone would light the spark.

 

If I could use one phrase to describe the demise of radio as a music medium it would be just that "a lack of passion"...and a plethora of "suits" that doesn't understand the difference between John Coltrane and Kenny G.  Or the listeners that are attracted to either...or why. 

 

I would certainly be interested in being on your list.

 

Hope all is good on your end.

 

Catt

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